SIT terms Zakia’s petition ‘instigating’

The Supreme Court-appointed SIT on Monday termed as “instigating” the petition filed by Zakia Jafri, opposing the closure report filed by SIT giving a clean chit to Gujarat chief minister Narendra Modi and alleged that it could again create communal disturbances in the state.

SIT made this submission before metropolitan magistrate B J Ganatra who was hearing the ‘protest’ petition filed by Jafri opposing the closure report filed by SIT giving a clean chit to Modi and others for their role in the 2002 post-Godhra riots.

“If the protest petition is reproduced exactly as it has been filed in two volumes, I have apprehension that it may again create disturbances in the state…it is so biased and instigating,” SIT lawyer R S Jamuar said opposing Zakia’s plea.

“I would also advice media not to publicize the content of this petition,” he observed. He argued, “Three fourth of this petition has concentrated on Godhra incidence of February 27, Karsevaks in Ayodhya prior to that, post mortem of dead bodies in Godhra, procession to bring those bodies to Ahmedabad and affidavits of retired IPS officer R B Sreekumar before Godhra Panel. If these portions are taken out, then there is nothing in this petition but its a case of Gulbarg society massacre for which separate trial is going on.

“This is not a protest petition of Zakia Jafri, a complainant, but its of Teesta Setalvad, who has only one point agenda and that is to make Modi an accused,” he alleged.

Jafri, whose husband and former Congress MP Ehsan Jafri was killed during 2002 Gulbarg society riots, had filed on April 15 a petition before the magistrate in protest against the SIT report giving the clean chit to Modi and others and sought the filing of chargesheet against them.

In her petition, Jafri has also demanded rejection of SIT report by the court and directions of further investigation into her complaint by an independent agency other than SIT.

In February 2012, SIT had submitted its final report giving the clean chit to Modi and others before this court. During the submissions on Monday, SIT also alleged that Jafri has “no respect” for judiciary.